Xbox 360 update pros and cons preview
The long awaited Xbox 360 update is finally available for download to preview. Gamers who were able to get into Microsoft’s exclusive preview program will be able to get a sneak peek at the latest features and updates. There are some pros and cons to the update.
The latest update for the Xbox 360 has been touted since E3 by Microsoft. It is set to fix one of my biggest complaints about Netflix and address some of the NXE dashboard performance problems. Overall, the dashboard performance seems to have been slightly improved. However, it still seems to be a tad slow pulling messages while in-game.
There is also a new and exciting addition for the Avatars. I know many of you will be ecstatic about getting an Avatar Marketplace where you can buy clothes for your Xbox replica of yourself. The section seems to be broken down into shirts, pants, accessories and miscellaneous nick-knacks. There are some cool Curse of Monkey Island threads I might be tempted to pickup.
The biggest complaint I have is the pricing. I think Microsoft may need to rethink its pricing strategy. A simple t-shirt will run you 80 MP ($1), a rubber chicken will run you 160 MP ($2), and a RC toy car will run you 320 MP ($4). Yikes! Microsoft may want to take a look at Sony’s pricing for Home as your average t-shirt and pants will run you 49 cents.
The next big feature I wanted to go over is the new Games on Demand section. You will be able to potentially buy full blown Xbox 360 games in the future from this section. Currently there are only about 10 original Xbox titles, which isn’t too bad for starters. I know the market place had original Xbox titles, but this new section solidifies Microsoft’s stance on pursuing downloadable distribution for games.
I am a big fan of firing up games from the hard drive rather than playing it off the disc. I have over 100 Xbox 360 games sitting on my shelf and swapping out games on my 360 in the past gave me disc-tray nightmares. I became a big fan of the install to hard drive option and plan on buying the games from Games on Demand if it stays updated.
When Sony started putting out retail PS3 games such as Warhawk, Socom, Gran Turismo: Prologue, Burnout Paradise, Siren and NFL on both PSN and Blu-ray, I opted for the download. Not only is it convenient but its much cheaper as well. Can you believe Burnout Paradise is only $20 off the PSN? I can tell you already that I will be a big fan of Games on Demand on the Xbox 360.
Pros: Games on Demand is awesome! Avatar Curse of Monkey Island and Halo ODST costumes is cool.
Con: $4 for an accessory and $1 for a t-shirt? Microsoft what are you thinking?
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86 Responses to “Xbox 360 update pros and cons preview”
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August 5th, 2009
Well if people are stupid enough to pay that kind of price then they deserve to be milked dry. I’m sure that’s what M$ is thinking?
August 5th, 2009
The only reason I wouldn’t do the games on demand is that you won’t be able to sell it or trade it in once you’re done with it. I can normally sell a game for $40 or so on Ebay once done with it. I sold Last Remnant for $45 including shipping, even though a dealer was selling it brand new for $50 including shipping hehe.
August 5th, 2009
pretty soon, it’l be just like home… just more cartoon-like
August 5th, 2009
“The only reason I wouldn’t do the games on demand is that you won’t be able to sell it or trade it in once you’re done with it.”
That’s what pubs and devs want you not to be able to do though innit….though thankfully we’re light years away from full DD.
August 5th, 2009
True, but screw them!
August 5th, 2009
We don’t get it in the UK until the 11th, apparantly.
August 5th, 2009
That’s the official release date. Also on the update will be smaller game installs:
news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=4665
August 5th, 2009
“The only reason I wouldn’t do the games on demand is that you won’t be able to sell it or trade it in once you’re done with it. I can normally sell a game for $40 or so on Ebay once done with it.”
I have to totally agree with Harry. I only have a few digital games on my PS3, Warhawk being one of them because it came out on the PSN 2 days earlier.
August 5th, 2009
Happy, you can go to tr.im/livepreview to sign up for the preview. They will email you back if you are chosen. The UK was available as a region on the sign up form.
August 5th, 2009
I will probably buy the games I really like through games on demand because they take up no space, are less expensive, I can erase/download them as many times as I want, and they last longer.
That said, they will probably still be few and far in between compared to the amount I rent. I can’t imagine spending the money to buy 100 games like Mike has, even though I have it. That’s anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000. If I want to play a game again all I have to do is rent it through GameFly and wind up saving thousands of dollars.
August 5th, 2009
Well Harry you make a good point about having a physical copy. I was in support of downloads. The thing is I don’t really trade my games in. If I like them I will keep it but if it is crap, it’s out the door. Having a bad digital copy of a game sucks if you can’t get rid of it. Harry I think you just made me rethink my position on this. HD space will definaltely become an issue. I don’t know how the PS3 guys do it because once I was looking through their games and I noticied many had mandatory installs. Maybe downloading is not all that it’s made out to be.
August 5th, 2009
Carl I have to agree only the ones that are worth it I’ll buy on DLC. Hopefully ODST will be one of them.
August 5th, 2009
^^ HD space will always be an issue if ur thinking realisticly (not like Happy always saying stuff like “1tb HDD”)
I have to upgrade my PS3 HDD because of PSN games alone. 60GB wasnt anought.
DD makes sense for me for small games. I wouldnt like to give $40-$60 for a Digital game. but it is always Good to have the option of getting a Digital Copy in case ur lazy and dont want to go to the store
August 5th, 2009
Selling or trading your games is a complete rip off anyway, so I don’t mind that. My main issue was HD space, before I upgraded to 500 gig. Now I’m all for buying full games through DD.
August 5th, 2009
Rocva
You really can’t help acting the troll can you?
Actually I can use a 1tb drive right now if I choose, externally.
We know a bigger Xbox hard drive is coming, the only thing we don’t know is what the size will be (but it seems everyone is agreed it will be at least 320gb).
It remains to be seen how this will develop but if we do see new DD games (say as opposed to old XBL Xbox mk1 games) then they are going to have to make the price fit the medium.
If I am going to be holding all the overheads (ie the storage and net connection) and they are not printing up case pics etc and a case then it’s just not on to expect the old price.
They are going to have to make it atractive or it’s just not going to happen (or it will quickly wither away).
August 5th, 2009
The rumor is that the Pro will be upgraded to the 120 GB and a the Elite will carry the bigger HD. I’m not going to buy my 360 back until I see this change. Im going for the Bigger HD because it only makes sense.
August 5th, 2009
They should also just slap the 60 GB on the Arcade Model.
August 5th, 2009
Couldn’t agree more CAD.
They ought to do what they did with the migration cable & disc, give them a valid Arcade serial & you get a freebie or very cut-price 60gb.
Interesting to see that they are saying some games will save to the HDD in a very small size (several hundred mbs instead of 5 – 8gbs).
They are closing in on the time when we’re going to have to split some games off from the Arcade guys altogether.
Out of 700 or so (?….I gather it’s well over 1000 if you count the b/c Xbox mk1 games) 360 titles that is not bad and hardly a case of giving them a raw deal – especially if the pill was sweetened with a cut-price 60gb HDD.
I reckon I can live with anything in the 320gb, 400gb or 500gb size range if that is what happens but it would make life a lot simpler if they just open the taps and let us take it up to the full 1tb if we choose, seeing as they are now available.
Even if it was a case of enabling the firmware for us to do (as we can with the 120gb drive) an ‘at your own risk’ DIY install.
Most are only ever going to opt for the proprietary HDD anyways, it’s not like they’d lose out much.
August 5th, 2009
“Actually I can use a 1tb drive right now if I choose, externally.”
which is useless..you can only store ur contents there but u cant play it from there.
how is ur 1tb SD Card Happy? is it making ur life easier
August 5th, 2009
Roca
I can store and play movies, pictures and music from there.
Hardly useless.
You on the otherhand can’t even store complete games on your HDD, you have a mandatory save for only a part of the game.
I know what I prefer……and once we go 320gb+ all your whiney dreary nit-picking becomes very acedemic.
August 5th, 2009
Actually they are reporting that on the new Arcade packaging that the inclusion of the pro has completly dissapeared. It only shows the Elite and the Arcade. Something is going to be happening very soon. It looks like Ars Technica’s mole is right again.
(http://www.videogamer.com/news/ms_to_discontinue_xbox_360_pro.html)
August 5th, 2009
“I can store and play movies, pictures and music from there.”
we are talking about Games on Demand and you talking about movies, picture and music… ur way off
anyways i can do all that wirelessly with my PS3
August 5th, 2009
CAD
I suspect this is going to be an interesting year coming up & culminating in Natal in Q3/10 (in time for X-Mas) next year.
Roca
And. So. What.
I also stream wirelessly.
Big deal.
It’s only a method of connecting containers and as I have said before I have various options totalling up to 2.25tb worth.
With my not having to use my Elite’s HDD for music, movies or pics I have 120gb HDD dedicated to games only.
It’ll do for now but I am glad a new bigger drive is coming (and I’ll flog off my 120gb drive for a decent price once I transfer all my stuff to the new one).
Makes no difference to me, you’ll be sorry to hear.
August 5th, 2009
again…we are talking about Games on Deman.
“It’s only a method of connecting containers and as I have said before I have various options totalling up to 2.25tb worth”
does your console look like OPTIMUS PRIME now?
August 5th, 2009
Roca
I’d have thought that when I mentioned streaming you’d understand that I was linking to my 2 PCs.
PC HDDS are so cheap now space is hardly an issue.
I have plenty of room for the games on demand stuff as it stands now.
My gripe is convenience.
I want a HDD big enough so that I can load all my Xbox games onto it (so as to play my entire game library from the HDD) without having to fr!g about creating space if there’s not enough room
(which sometimes happens now).
It’s hardly the worst thing in the world but I like my stuff ‘just so’.
Looks like I am going to be in luck too, what with a much bigger drive coming soon.
August 5th, 2009
“PC HDDS are so cheap now space is hardly an issue.”
oh please u dont have to tell me about it. as might know the PS3 uses pc HDD. and my 500GB was really cheap (under $90)
August 5th, 2009
The update sounds great overall, perhaps only a little tweak about the princing would suit. However I can see some people excited about further customizations for their avatars albeit the prices.
I am not very much into DD. My greatest fear comes from the hipotetical failure of my hipotetical HDD. Perhaps that will be solved when SSDs take over but that technology is still expensive. I am very convinced that DD will be very important in a few more years.
PS: I want my console to look like Optimus Prime too =(.
August 5th, 2009
I’d rather have it transform into that chick from the second movie, except without the long metal tongue I suppose…
August 5th, 2009
ba
August 5th, 2009
ba black sheep.
August 5th, 2009
Hey the Games on Demand list is expanded now. Here is what it will start with and games will be added every week. Right of the bat I know I’m going to get Test Drive: Unlimited.
Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft)
Burnout Paradise (EA)
Call of Duty 2 (Activision)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Bethesda)
Fight Night Round 3 (EA)
Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios)
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (LucasArts)
Mass Effect (Microsoft Game Studios)
Meet The Robinsons (Disney)
MX vs. ATV Untamed (THQ)
Need For Speed Carbon (EA)
Need For Speed: Most Wanted (EA)
Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft Game Studios)
Prey (2K Games)
Sega Rally Revo (Sega)
Table Tennis (Rockstar Games)
Test Drive: Unlimited (Atari)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (Ubisoft)
Tomb Raider Legend (Eidos)
Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)
Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise (Microsoft Game Studios)
August 5th, 2009
Sega Rally Revo is such a slept on game hopefully this will breath life back into it. I have the physical and I will never let that go.
August 5th, 2009
Prices?
August 5th, 2009
CAD:
From where did you get the list? I would buy Need For Speed both of them plus Call Of Duty i won’t get Burnout since i got it on Blu-ray Disc for my PLAYSTATION 3. The rest i don’t care they suck. Only if they are price correctly like $15.
August 5th, 2009
They can’t price them that cheaply otherwise retail gets pissed off.
August 5th, 2009
lock_down:
I guess Microsoft then won’t be getting my money like Sony is. And yeah you right but Burnout Paradise is $19.99 on the PLAYSTATION Store and GameStop.
August 5th, 2009
****PS3 OUTPERFORMED X360 FOR EA****
Both PC and PS3 prove more profitable platforms than Xbox for EA in quarter ending June 30th
Whilst it was the Wii, thanks to the success of EA Sports Active, that really shone for EA in its latest fiscal quarter, just as big a surprise is the fact that the publisher’s PS3 returns far outstripped those coming from Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
Wii revenues lead the charge at $161m, up from $109m in the same quarter last year. Next up was PC, which courtesy of The Sims 3, bought in a considerable $124m.
Next in line was PS3 with total revenues of $121m, markedly higher than Xbox 360, which generated $73m for EA. The PSP was also a surprise victor over DS with revenues of $38m compared to DS’ $28m.
North America remained EA’s most lucrative territory, producing $343m of revenues. In comparison, Europe generated $258m with Asia at $43m.
August 5th, 2009
Well, I’m not too concerned with those figures Roca, except for the PC ones.
Its good to see my old friend making money, and they said PC gaming was dead!
August 5th, 2009
That’s interesting Roca. Do you know which game(s) or game content did it for them? Was the game(s) exclusive to PS3 or released for both PS3 and 360?
August 5th, 2009
Well it’s not the first time this has happened. PS3 people seem to have a sweet spot for EA. I personally think it might be Fifa in the EU or it comes down to sheer library size. The 360 has double if not more games then the PS3 therefore EA games probably stick out more on the PS3 then they do on the 360 when it comes to selection.
August 5th, 2009
Pro Evo is where it’s at in the EU.
“The 360 has double if not more games then the PS3 therefore EA games probably stick out more on the PS3 then they do on the 360 when it comes to selection.”
What.
The Hell.
August 5th, 2009
“Currently there are only about 10 original Xbox titles”
Actually, there are 29. You might have just been looking at the top display.
Pros:
You can rate the games between 1-5 stars each, similar to netflix/iphone rating system.
Displays the number of downloads sold next to each title, sortable by best selling, top rated, or title, also similar to iphone system.
This rating, tracking, and sorting now works for Indie Games (what used to be Community Games), Arcade Games, Avatar Games, Games Add-Ons (DLC packs), Demos, Videos, Themes and Gamer Pics, as well as Games on Demand.
Better selection on movies and shows than before, still needs some work though.
Awards system???
Cons:
$15 is reasonable for Xbox Games, but you can get 360 games for $10 retail now. Price should be a bit lower depending on title.
Prices on movie rentals are also too high.
While you can now pick a movie on your Netflix queue through your 360, you can only do it via New Arrivals, not sorted alphabetically or browsing through the entire library by category, etc. (work in progress I understand). Still a nice improvement.
Music videos are still in a nasty looking SD only.
August 5th, 2009
We all know how much like watching the booty in a 50 cent video in HD carl
@Arvis – If you’re around, mass effect’s main campaign was too short! Other than that, Ill agree it was fun, but not ‘uber wtf BBQ’ like most people said…
August 5th, 2009
Sorry, they do have all the categories (Hong Kong?) and recommendations in Netflix on the 360, but no “All” to browse through alphabetically in each category or the entire library. Just a nitpick which will probably be fixed in a future update. This is still a vast improvement, part of the natural evolution of Netflix on 360.
August 5th, 2009
I’m in the preview, but unfortunately I don’t have the Netflix thing to take a look at.
August 6th, 2009
“The 360 has double if not more games then the PS3 therefore EA games probably stick out more on the PS3 then they do on the 360 when it comes to selection”
CAD what a lame excuse i expected more from you.
August 6th, 2009
oh come on Roca!!!!
That excuse is classic.
August 6th, 2009
That jumped out at me also, but I figured since it was so lame I wouldn’t justify it with a response.
August 6th, 2009
EA doesn’t make too much sense to me in this case. If it was Capcom instead I would be much more inclined to believe it as SF4 and Resident Evil 5 sold very well. (especially in oversees markets like Japan, where the install base of the 360 is pitiful). Capcom also publishes game like GTA4 in Japan.
Like lockdown said. Probably the PE series in the countries where the 360 isn’t dominant.
August 6th, 2009
In related news. Quarterly results for Activision.
Makes you wonder why they’re not threatening Nintendo also, as the combined revenue for the ps3 and psp surpasses that of the wii and DS. Another reason Activision os so full of shit.
1 – World of Warcraft (what they call “mmorpgs”): $324M
2 – Xbox 360: $231M
3 – PS3: $152M
4 – Wii: $118M
5 – DS: $48M
6 – PS2: $44M
7 – PC& others: $41M
8 – PSP: $17M
August 6th, 2009
“Like lockdown said. Probably the PE series in the countries where the 360 isn’t dominant.”
you mean FIFA, because PES is from Konami.
also THAT excuse is not valid….their number are from this last quarter (ending June 30th) and NO FIFA games has been release in 2009 yet.
August 6th, 2009
Oh come on guys why is it lame. I’m not putting you guys down but it’s just a fact. If there is 20 games and 10 are EA games vs 50 games and 15 are EA games, you tell me how many games EA is going to sell with increased compitition. Think about it, Grand turismo is not out yet so what are you more inclined to buy, NFS or Burnout. On the 360 side you got Forza, Project Gotham, Race Pro, Grid, Midnight Club that will take a chunk out of the EA Racing games. That is only an example of one Genre but you should get my drift.
August 6th, 2009
Phranctoast
Good point but when you compare development cost which is what the complaint is about you can see why the PS3 got attacked.
August 6th, 2009
Pricing has now appeared for direct downloadable games.
Between 1600 – 2400 ($20 -$30/£13.60 – £20.40).
With the list that has been published so far it’ll be worth checking places like Amazon for whether a game can be had cheaper (some apparantly can).
It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves (maybe they’ll do holiday bonus games at low cost, as they have done before?)
August 6th, 2009
is far as I know the PS3 has more “new games” to chose from since last year. and These numbers are from the ending quarter of Jun 30th.
come up with a better excuse next time would you.
August 6th, 2009
Oh yeah.
EA game usually suck…..and in view of this data showing a big the PS3 taste for EA games & the relative Xbox distain for EA I think it says a lot about the 2 client groups.
Still, when your choices are that much more limted I guess you’ll take any old sh*te you can get, eh lads?
August 6th, 2009
@ CAD
“Good point but when you compare development cost which is what the complaint is about you can see why the PS3 got attacked”
Lets use some logic here.
Xbox 360: $231M
PS3: $152M
The difference between the revenue is 79M.
CoD: WaW sold about a million more on the 360.
1M x(times) $60= 60M (revenue)
so you can see where most of its revenue are coming from..PERSONALY I found those numbers to be low since the 360 has about 6.5M lead over the PS3
August 6th, 2009
“EA game usually suck…..and in view of this data showing a big the PS3 taste for EA games & the relative Xbox distain for EA I think it says a lot about the 2 client groups”
yeah ur right Happy
games like Dead Space, Burnout Paradise, Bad Company, BF 1943 Mirror’s Edge, Fifa, Fight Night, Madden….they ALL SUCK that’s why none of them sells well
August 6th, 2009
So it’s 360 users who are propping up the evil Activision.
Why am I not surprised?
August 6th, 2009
And Roca, I would stop going on about EA if I were you…you’re setting yourself up for a big fall later down the road…
August 6th, 2009
EA games have been better recently.
I wish they keep it up. I’d really like to see a sequel to dead space…. you know something that isn’t an on rails shooter.
August 6th, 2009
CAD. I thought it was about the ps3 price on shelves.
Taking development into consideration is a good point, but that again is riddled with different scenarios. Is it cheaper to also make a game for the wii, or is it cheaper to create a game for both the ps3 and 360 as they are similar enough and are using similar develop methods. That one method produces a game for two systems rather than one.
While I not saying they are both the same to develop for, I think you understand my point.
August 6th, 2009
Roca please pay attention and stop the fanboy rant. I’m talking to Phranctoast and were comparing Wii development cost and PS3 development cost and why Activision took a shot at the PS3 and not the Wii when the Wii made less $ for Activision then the PS3.
August 6th, 2009
Roca what does “new games” have to do with library selection. Do you go to Bestbuy or Gamestop and compare new games or do you go and look through the whole collection. Stop reaching because your looking pathetic.
August 6th, 2009
@ CAD when activison to a shot at the PS3 they were talking about a Price drop and nothing about Development cost…Sony lowered those for PSP/PS3 long time ago.
ur the one looking pathetic by saying rediculous excuses.
and when I said New Games I was talking about games from 2008 and on. While u try to come up with all the excuses you want EA is making more money on PS3 than any other console… and Activision just found out that they need the PS3 and much as the PS3 needs them.
August 6th, 2009
Phranctoast while it may cost more to develope for both the PS3 and the 360, it’s a known fact that the PS3 still cost more due to longer development time because it takes longer to code games for the PS3. Activision was complaing about added cost of PSN and the added fees that developers have to pay to Sony. Add to that the poor sales on the PS3 and then you get activision trying to justify the cost of development. Bottom line is the effort does not match the returns.
August 6th, 2009
Yes they wanted a price cut along with every other developer because the more PS3 on the street means more potential sales for developers. Roca do yourself a favour and go re-read what Bobby said instead of looking like a fool.
August 6th, 2009
“Add to that the poor sales on the PS3 and then you get activision trying to justify the cost of development. Bottom line is the effort does not match the returns.”
talking about looking like a fool
if you look at the sales numbers of all Activision games (CoD4, CoD: WaW, GH:world Tour, Metallica, etc) they very close numbers between PS3/360….idk what poor sales ur talking about.
If you say “the effort does not match the return” why every single Activision game are on both PS3/360. no exception. PS3 is 3rd hightest money maker for Activison (right behind the 360)
August 6th, 2009
I respect your generosity there CAD but we all know it’s far far too late for that.
August 6th, 2009
You see.
August 6th, 2009
personally. I believe they were trying to stir up some shit for the obvious point of getting more systems out there to sell more games.
psn dl costs could be looked at as a form of advertising. While its nice to be able to put up a demo and have Sony eat the costs , like theyre doing in other ways, tv advertisements aren’t free. why would demos be free, when all they are, are essentially advertising tools.
August 6th, 2009
and Kotick form Activision isn’t doing to well with his foot in mouth disease.
He just recently said, that if it was up to him games would cost more than 59.99.
I forsee this guy in a different job soon.
August 6th, 2009
Roca don’t talk to me about it talk to Bobby kotick.
August 6th, 2009
sure CAD give me his phone #
August 6th, 2009
“I forsee this guy in a different job soon.”
Are you kidding? Shareholders are gonna love him even more now.
August 6th, 2009
lock_down: “So it’s 360 users who are propping up the evil Activision.”
Actually, it seems to be the evil World of Warcraft addicts. Less surprising.
@SW: Mass Effect is short, yes, but sweet! And the side missions are half of the fun of the game!
It’s all about going on an epic science fiction ADVENTURE. IN SPACE! No other game has done that as well as Mass Effect.
-Arvis
August 6th, 2009
Aww, don’t ruin it
August 6th, 2009
“Are you kidding? Shareholders are gonna love him even more now.”
I should have said…”working for MS”
August 6th, 2009
@Arvis – I agree, I felt so overpowered by the end of the game. I’d done so
I only wish I could have actually flown the Normandy
in space and then landed on the planets…
August 6th, 2009
*I’d done so many side missions that any enemy I came across was down in a few shots.
August 7th, 2009
Have you played Rouge Galaxy SW?
August 7th, 2009
It’s official: “Rogue” is THE most misspelled word on the internet.
That game was pretty hard, though. I lost patience with it pretty quickly. I’d be cruising along killing the enemies easily, and then suddenly I’d run into higher level enemies IN THE SAME AREA that wipe my entire party out. Gay.
-Arvis
August 7th, 2009
“It’s official: “Rogue” is THE most misspelled word on the internet”
Oopps lol
That Game was a great Space turn-based RPG IMO. never played Mass Effect so i wont compared but since I like JRPG better I would guess Rogue Galaxy is where my money will go.
August 7th, 2009
@Roca yes, was fun.
August 9th, 2009
KOTOR 2 = worst game I have ever played.
Slightly off topic, but still slightly relevant.
August 9th, 2009
I hope Sony/Level 5 make Rogue Galaxy 2 on the PS3